Mindfulness Practice versus Physical Exercise in Enhancing Vitality.
Wei Yan, Zhongxin Jiang, Peng Zhang, Guanmin Liu, Kaiping Peng
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health January 31, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032537 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 71 |
| Population | Chinese adults |
| Intervention | Guided mindfulness training |
| Duration | 7-day intervention, with 7-day follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Adult East asian people Energy Vitality Physical exercise |
| Key findings | Guided mindfulness practice enhanced vitality and its four factors more strongly than self-chosen aerobic exercise and better maintained those improvements. The authors suggest mindfulness practice is more effective than physical exercise for increasing and sustaining vitality. |
Abstract
Vitality is important for subjective well-being and performance, which makes strategies for its enhancement an important research issue. While prior research showed that mindfulness practice and physical exercise are both effective at enhancing vitality, no study has compared their efficacy. This study aimed to address this issue. Seventy-one Chinese adults participated in the study and were randomized to one of the intervention groups, i.e., mindfulness practice or physical exercise. The mindfulness practice group completed guided mindfulness trainings, while the physical exercise group completed self-chosen aerobic trainings for seven days. The levels of vitality and its four factors at three time points (baseline, post-intervention, 7-day follow-up) were measured and compared. Compared with physical exercise, mindfulness practice showed stronger effects in enhancing vitality and maintaining the improvements. The findings suggest that guided mindfulness practice is more effective than self-chosen aerobic physical exercise at enhancing vitality and maintaining its improvements.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Physical Activity, Mindfulness Meditation, or Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Stress Reduction: A Randomized Controlled Trial Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback June 25, 2015
- Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention on the Perception of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction among Special Education Students International Journal of Disability, Development and Education July 13, 2017
- Isha Yoga Practices and Participation in Samyama Program are Associated with Reduced HbA1C and Systemic Inflammation, Improved Lipid Profile, and Short-Term and Sustained Improvement in Mental Health: A Prospective Observational Study of Meditators Frontiers in Psychology May 19, 2021
- Effectiveness of Online Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Psychological Distress and the Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Frontiers in Psychology October 31, 2018
and 6 more in the library